BYE BYE MELLY!!!!

Well it had to happen- all good things have to come to an end. Yes at the end of this week we will be leaving Melbourne. I do feel sad about this although of course I am extremely excited about the adventures that lie ahead.

Looking back on our time in Melly I feel a sense of pride to think about all that we have achieved. It was a little scary for both of us when we arrived at the airport on 24th Jan. Usually when you enter the arrivals lounge it is to start a relaxing holiday soaking up the sun but this journey was so much more for us.

The first difficulty was finding an apartment in such a short space of time and one that met our requirements i.e. close to the city centre, close to public transport and fully furnished!

Next was finding jobs in a foreign country and finding the confidence to attend interviews and meet new people. Chrissy did so well securing a job so quickly; he barely had time to get over the jetlag! He was so brave to go off to different insurance brokers for interviews.

I experienced much more difficulty gaining employment but in true British style I persevered and managed to overcome my nerves and attend an interview at the school in Berwick. The principal was a cool guy and winked at me and said I would be perfect for the job (ok I know we are supposed to be equal in the work place but if you can use your feminine charms- why not!!)

The teaching was an excellent experience and gave me a valuable insight into how they do things over here. Things are pretty similar although the Aussie kids don’t start school until they turn five whereas our little darlings are pushed through the doors once they turn four. At first I thought that maybe the Aussie way is better but during my days of childcare and teaching I think we have got the balance right in the UK.

Basically the Aussie kids are thrust into childcare from an early age (some as young as six weeks!). Ok this is the mother’s rights to work – far enough. The main problem with the childcare is the massive difference between centres- some are excellent, some I wouldn’t send a dog to!!

The striking difference I noticed was in the Kindergarten age group (4 to 5). These kids were looked after but were essentially left to their own devices i.e. did exactly what they liked. When you think that in England kids of the same age are learning to read and write etc, etc whilst still getting lots of play opportunities, I think we do it better than our Aussie cousins. Also when the kids here do attend school (between 5 and 6) it is a massive shock for them especially when they are used to pleasing themselves at Kinder (what do you think Jules?)

Educationally the children here seem a little behind ours when you compare age groups. For example the kids in Grade 1 (year one to us) were just writing one or two sentences! It does make me think that we should ease off our kids and stop putting so much pressure on them! Compared to the kids here they are doing so well we should let them enjoy school instead of pushing them to achieve targets, targets and more targets (you will definitely agree here Jules!!). I will have to write to the latest Education secretary when I return home (whoever it will be they change so often!)

Anyway time to step off the soap box and continue with my thoughts on Melly….

It didn’t take long for us to settle into life here although I did find it tricky at first to realise that I couldn’t be a non- stop tourist and had to get into the work ethic ( I have admittedly struggled with this concept all my life- having inherited the dadda ‘work avoidance gene’).

Melbourne is a cool city and living in the city centre has been excellent with everything on your doorstep! It’s so easy to get around and there is always a festival or event on. Since we have been here we have enjoyed Australia Day, Australian Open, Commonwealth Games, Comedy festival etc. It really is a hip and happening place. They will find an excuse to celebrate anything (they even have a day off for the Queen’s Birthday).

What I do like is that these events help to bring the community together. Indeed the Australians as a whole take great pride in been Aussies (especially when it comes to sport!). We brits seem to have lost are pride in been British which is sad (I will change the subject here before the soap box re-appears!)

The Melburnians are a great bunch and extremely friendly (apparently the Sydney- siders are like Londoners i.e. stand offish so we will have to make a comparison there). If you sit next to a Melburnian for any event they will engage you in conversation (again especially if sport related- they like a little friendly banter with us poms)

We have met some great people since been here- the girls from Footscray who got blad with us on the Yarra Valley wine tasting trip, Chris’s workmates (who we will definitely keep in touch with via e-mail), my work colleagues who looked after me and the Blackpool lassies and Juan on the Barossa Valley wine tasting day (there’s a definite pattern here!). Not to mention all the ex-pats that we met during the commonwealth games.

Basically Melbourne is a great place and if we could transport all our friends and family over here we would stop here forever- So who’s up for it? Or as the aussies would say- Where the bloody hell are you?

Donnie the traveller

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